Vocaloid: Tales from Kyoto
by snowflakesofdoom
Summary: A group of high school students are chosen to be vocaloids- mediators of the yokai and human worlds. Chaos and hilarity ensues as secrets are unveiled and they discover that there was more to the people that they thought they knew. Pls R&R.
1. Premonition

**Vocaloid: Tales from Kyoto **

_**Hi, I'm Snowflake. I've had this idea for quite some time and this is my first time writing fanfics so here goes. I hope you'll enjoy it. Main pairings will be MikuxKaito and GakuxLuka. Other pairings will come soon.  
><strong>_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Vocaloid. Vocaloid is a product of Yamaha. **_

**Chapter 1- Premonition**

"Kaito…"

A young man with dark blue hair turned to see who had called him. It was a whisper that only he could hear while walking down the streets of Matsuda Town, Kyoto. The usually lonely streets were flooded by huge masses that had gathered for the _Jidai Matsuri*_ or the Festival of Ages. Trying to find the source of the whisper, he found himself facing the river.

"Kaito…"

There it was again! Curious, the young man called Kaito went into the river. However, as he went deeper into the water, he heard a stronger and strangely familiar voice calling out to him. Ignoring it, he turned his attention back to the voice that was beckoning him into the river. However, the other, voice that was now screaming in his ears was becoming louder. He paused, trying to figure out exactly whose voice it was. For some reason, this more powerful voice seemed to strike fear into his heart.

"KAITO, WAKE UP YOU DUMB ASS!"

For a second, all the activities going on in the school came to a standstill as a shriek echoed throughout the place, following a booming voice.

* * *

><p>*<em>Kaguya Academy, high school division, class 2A*<em>

"What in the world was that? It sounded like someone is being tortured."

"Don't worry Miku, it's probably just Kaito being beaten up by Meiko…again," said Lily Kamui to her green haired friend.

* * *

><p>*<em>Kaguya Academy, high school division, class 3C*<em>

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!" Kaito Shion yelled at the brunette, while massaging his head.

"Hey, I tried waking you up nicely but you just continued to snooze away. Besides, fancy you falling asleep when we have such an important project to finish up," Meiko Sakine replied coolly.

Red –faced, Kaito looked up at his dear friend for back-up.

"No can do buddy, I have to agree with Meiko this time. I mean, this assignment is quite important," said a young man with an exceptionally beautiful face that looked like a woman's and long purple hair that was tied in a ponytail.

"Come on Gakupo, if not you then who?"

Desperate for support, Kaito looked up at the stunning young woman with pink hair standing next to Gakupo, giving her the cutest puppy dog eyes that he could make.

"Kaito, that look just doesn't suit you. In fact, it makes you look ten times worse than you already do," responded Luka Megurine.

Before Kaito could think of a retort, the classroom door opened. At once, everyone stood up and greeted Kiyoteru Hiyama, their homeroom teacher.

"Well now, I hope that everyone is working hard on their projects. Remember, the festival is in three weeks and I'm sure all of you want to impress the visitors to the festival and show them the wonders of Matsuda Town," Mr Hiyama said in his usual cheerful self.

* * *

><p>*<em>After school*<em>

"Let's head on to Sweet Ann's, we can continue discussing about the project there. I really want to wow everyone who comes for the festival," Meiko punched a hand into the air, determined.

"Yeah, let's show them what we're all about, but before that, Kaito, is there anything you want to tell us about? You seemed troubled," Gakupo added upon seeing his friend lost in thought.

"Oh it's nothing, just this strange dream I had just now regarding the festival…" Kaito paused for a while before continuing.

"In the dream, there was this voice calling out to me. It led me to the river, I was reaching out to its source when Miss Loudmouth here woke me up."

Before Meiko could protest, Kaito spoke again, "The thing is, I think this is some sort of sign, a premonition. I might be destined for great things!"

"Right, Kaito, in case you haven't notice, that kind of thing happens in anime and manga, not in real life," Luka responded, rolling her eyes.

"Luka's right, I think you're reading too much into this Kaito. That dream probably resulted from all the excitement that's been going on due to the upcoming festival," Gakupo said in support of Luka's opinion.

"Say what you want, we'll see who's right when the time comes," Kaito declared adamantly.

Still arguing, their small group made their way to Sweet Ann's, clueless of the adventures that would soon cross their path – well, not totally clueless, there were those in that small group who knew more than the others, but that's a story for another time.

* * *

><p><em>*Jidai Matsuri- also known as the Festival of Ages, one of the most important festivals in Kyoto. It is a festival of historical reenactment. Basically, there is a procession of people who dress up as figures from Japanese history.<em>

_**Well, that's all for now folks, please read and review.** _


	2. Dreams or Reality

_**Well, this is chapter 2. I know chapter 1 was quite lame so I hope this is better. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own vocaloid. Vocaloid is a product of Yamaha. **_

**Chapter 2- Dreams or Reality**

Upon arriving at Sweet Ann's Sweet Treats, the group found the place to be crowded and were struggling to find seats. Being located just ten minutes away from the Kaguya Academy of the Arts, the cafe was a popular hangout of its students. It wasn't surprising that it had very good business. However, that day, it was busier than usual.

"Kaito, Meiko, over here!" yelled someone from across the cafe.

Looking over to the direction of the voice, they saw Miku Hatsune, waving at them. Making their way, towards her, they noticed that she was with Lily Kamui, Gakupo's younger sister, and Rin and Len Kagamine. Miku and the Kagamine twins were childhood friends of Kaito and Meiko and although they were not close to Gakupo or Luka, they enjoyed being in their company. Lily however, was quite wary of meeting new people and just remained silent, giving the group a brief smile as they approached before averting her attention elsewhere.

* * *

><p><em>*Miku's POV*<em>

I blushed as Kamui-senpai* and Megurine-senpai came to our table. The two of them were admired by nearly everyone in the academy. They were smart, both of them being the in the top ten of their year, passionate, and had been blessed with amazingly good looks. I myself had always desired to become like Meiko and Megurine-senpai. They're strong, confident and independent, the type of woman that I've always wanted to be.

"Wow, Kamui-senpai and Megurine-senpai are much more incredible up close...and Kamui-senpai...I have never seen such a beautiful man before. Is he really a man?" I wondered to myself.

* * *

><p><em>*General POV*<em>

"There sure are a lot of people today. I mean, usually, most of the customers are from the academy but today, there are many new faces that I've never even recalled seeing before in town," said Kaito as he plopped down on the empty seat next to Miku. He saw her looking at Gakupo in awe and can't help but feel jealous.

Gakupo smiled at her upon noticing her staring at him. Something in Kaito felt like it snapped when he saw Miku blushing as she returned Gakupo's smile.

"Get a grip Kaito. The two of you are just friends, nothing more. What does it matter if she takes a liking to Gakupo? In fact, you should be happy if two of your good friends find happiness with each other," thought Kaito to himself.

"Hi, what can I get you today? And yes, it really is a busy day. People have been flocking in for the festival," said Sweet Ann as she came to take their orders.

Ann 'Sweet Ann' Okizaki was the 27 year old owner of Sweet Ann's Sweet Treats. Kind and gentle, she was the town's sweetheart and was loved by all the townsfolk.

"We'll have the usual Sweet Ann and I know what you mean. The inn is packed and there are still people who are calling for reservations. We had to turn down a number of them since there are no more rooms left," Gakupo replied.

The Kamui family owned the Yuki-Shippo* Inn, the most popular place to stay at in Matsuda Town. It provided comfortable lodging for minimal fee, perfect for travellers on a tight budget. Rumour has it that the reason the for the cost of staying in the inn being cheap was that the inn was haunted. This however, did not deter people from staying at the inn. In fact, it managed to attract more customers, particularly those interested in the supernatural and hoping for a chance encounter with the beings that supposedly haunt the inn. Whether there was any truth to the rumour though, nobody knew for sure as whenever asked about it, the staff at the inn and members of the Kamui family would just shrug it off. They would just say that there had always been many yokai* sightings in Kyoto and thus, these hauntings were probably just yokai that were passing by.

"The usual coming right up," chimed Sweet Anne cheerfully as she went back to the kitchen.

"Doesn't anyone find it weird that the festival is suddenly attracting so much attention? Of course, it has always been a popular reason for people to come to Kyoto but not that many people actually come to this part of Kyoto to celebrate it. Matsuda Town is an unknown part of Kyoto to many," Kaito shared his thoughts out to the rest.

Again, he alleged that it had something to do with his dream. Miku and the Kagamine twins looked on with confusion as he talked about his dream being a vision of the future. Even Lily was now giving him her full attention. This confusion was soon replaced by amusement as Meiko told them of the events that led to his strange assumption of this so-called prophetic dream.

"Whoa, Kaito, someone's definitely..." started Len.

"...Lost their marbles," continued Rin.

"Well, that would explain that bizarre wailing that we heard back at the academy this morning. So it really was Kaito after all," Lily went on, trying to hold back her laughter while Miku burst out into giggles, no longer able to hold it in.

While thinking of a comeback, Kaito noticed someone waving to them from the corner of his eye. He looked up to see who it was but was unable to identify the person who seemed to be motioning him to get Gakupo's attention.

"Say, Gak-kun, do you by any chance know who that is?" asked Kaito.

Turning around to get a look at the stranger who wanted his attention, a look of shock appeared on Gakupo's face as he quickly went over to the other table. Surprised by how his usually calm friend had acted, Kaito immediately asked Lily who the stranger was. At the same time, he noticed that both Lily and Luka had worried looks on their faces. Judging from the looks of his four childhood friends, he knew that they had noticed it too.

"Who, that? He's just an old friend of my brother's. He moved to another part of Kyoto a few years ago. I guess he came back to visit," Lily answered, regaining her composure.

* * *

><p><em>*Kaito's POV*<em>

I closed my eyes, thinking of why Gakupo and Lily had acted so strangely. Just who was that person? It wasn't that I didn't believe Lily but I felt that there was something more to this reaction. Then there was Luka. Why did _she_ look worried? How was she related to this stranger? Gakupo did mention that he and Luka were childhood playmates, so maybe the stranger was her friend too?

Keeping my thoughts to myself, I pretended to accept Lily's explanation and acted as per normal as Sweet Ann came with our usual order of cakes and tea. I tried my best to focus as Meiko began to contribute her ideas towards the project but to no avail for there was something about that mysterious stranger that had caught my attention. Before Gakupo had frantically ran over to him, I could've sworn that I saw a tail coming out from the stranger's pants. However, when I looked at him again, the tail had gone.

"Was I hallucinating? Maybe Luka's right, I need to lay off the anime and manga for a bit," I quietly told myself.

* * *

><p><em>*General POV*<em>

"Hey guys, it's getting a little crowded here don't you think? We should probably find somewhere else to discuss the project," Gakupo suggested as soon as he came back to the table.

"You know what Gakupo, I think we've done enough for today. It's getting late anyway, we all should be heading back," Meiko decided.

* * *

><p>As they headed home, the mysterious stranger looked on at the small group.<p>

"Do you think they'll be okay?" asked the stranger's companion.

"I've already informed the master but he thinks it's best to hide our world from them for the time being. That is why they are leaving now. This cafe is currently being overrun by our kind. The only reason the other humans aren't noticing is because they don't have the power to see through our illusions," the stranger informed his companion.

"The destined time is nearing. Their powers are growing stronger by the day. That Kaito boy had caught sight of my tail...that is a sure sign that the awakening is going to take place soon," the stranger said silently to himself.

* * *

><p>"Bye guys, Luka, Lily and I will be going this way," Gakupo waved goodbye to his friends.<p>

"Megurine-senpai lives that way too?"asked Miku, looking slightly disappointed as she saw her favourite senpai walking away with her best friend and her new crush.

"Yup, she and Gakupo are neighbours. They've been best buddies since they were kids," Meiko told her, noticing how she was looking enviously at Luka.

"Oh boy, it looks like Gak-kun's got another girl smitten. But poor Miku, she seems so torn. She adores Luka but she's also jealous of Luka's relationship with Gak-kun," Meiko realised.

She cast a glance at Kaito, knowing how he really felt about Miku, even though he himself had not noticed it yet. True enough, Kaito was looking slightly agitated at the sight of Miku gazing longingly at Gakupo.

" Let's get a move on shall we? We better head home before it gets too late," the twins interrupted her thoughts.

At the sound of the twins' voices, Miku snapped out of her daze and Kaito out of his jealousy. Each realised that they had been standing there like complete idiots and started to blush.

* * *

><p>As they made their way home, a figure watched them from afar.<p>

"They're alone now. Shall we strike?" a voice asked the figure.

"Go ahead," the figure gave out his orders.

* * *

><p><em>*senpai- senior<em>

_*yuki-shippo- snow tails (you'll find out why the inn was given this name soon enough) _

_*yokai- demon  
><em>


	3. The Nine Tailed Fox

**_Hey, it's Snowflake again! Sorry for being MIA...been very busy these few months...but I'll try my best to keep on uploading new chapters as soon as I can. This chapter is mostly in Kaito's POV. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Please read and review. :)  
><em>**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vocaloid characters. The various developers do.**  
><em>

**Chapter 3- The Nine-tailed Fox**

_*Kaito's POV*_

I sighed, trying to figure out what had gotten over me. Why did I feel so agitated at the thought of Miku being the slightest bit attracted to Gakupo?

"Kaito..."

I stopped in my tracks. Did I just hear what I thought I heard?

"Kaito..."

There it was again! This time, there was no doubt about it. It was the same voice from my dream, and it was coming from the river. Now's the time I prove to them how wrong they were about my dream.

* * *

><p><em>*General POV*<em>

"Kaito-kun, where're you going? That's not the way to your house," asked Miku as Kaito started to run off in another direction.

"I'm going to prove to you guys that my dream did mean something!" Kaito exclaimed as he ran off towards the direction of the river.

As he neared the river, he had a sudden feeling of déjà vu. He was so close to the voice and at the same time, he could hear Meiko screaming at him not too far behind. He shuddered at the thought of how eerily similar this situation was to his dream. However, this time, he was not going to let his fear of Meiko get the better of him. This time, he was going to find out exactly who that voice belonged to.

"Just a little more," thought Kaito as he entered the water and reached his hand out towards the direction of the voice.

"Whoa, Kaito, that's dangerous!" Len shouted upon seeing Kaito jump into the river.

"Yeah, you don't know how deep the water is!" added Rin, concerned of her blue-haired friend's safety.

Ignoring the worried cries of his friends, Kaito continued making his way towards the voice. He can't turn back now. Not when he was so close.

Just as he was about to make contact with the source of the mysterious voice, Kaito felt something pounce on him. The next thing he knew, Kaito found himself being pinned underwater, struggling to get whatever it was that was holding him down to let go. Just as he was about to give up, he felt the thing that was weighing him down release him and at last, Kaito was able to go back to the surface.

* * *

><p><em>*Kaito's POV*<em>

I spluttered out water the moment I reached the surface. Gasping for air, I sat down and tried to assess the situation. That was when I noticed a huge golden kitsune* standing near me. With its teeth bared, it growled ferociously at something brown and furry that it had pinned down. Upon further examination, I realised that it was a wolf.

All of a sudden, I heard a scream that was undeniably Miku's. Looking towards the river bank, I saw that my friends were now surrounded by a pack of wolves. This wasn't making any sense. Matsuda Town was located near the woods and sometimes, animals do wander into town but how did a pack of wolves get into town without anyone noticing? There also was something different about these wolves. They were bigger and fiercer than any wolf that I had seen before. Then, there was the kitsune. This was no ordinary fox. This was a kyubi no kitsune*_, _with fire burning at the tips of each of its nine tails and magnificent golden fur shining in the sunlight.

"This can't be right. Okay, maybe watching all those anime was getting to my head. I mean kyubi no kitsune don't exist. They're just myths. This must be a dream," I tried reasoning with myself.

Another scream from Miku brought me out of my thoughts. The wolves were going in for the kill. I watched in horror as the wolves started closing in on my friends when unexpectedly, the pack was brought down by figures that descended from the sky out of nowhere. There was a struggle but the wolves' attackers were moving too fast to be seen. Soon after, the leader of the pack sounded the retreat and the wolves vanished from sight.

"Leave, this was just a warning. If you try to anyone from my territory, you will have me to answer to and I promise you I won't be so nice next time," I heard the kyubi no kitsune tell the wolf that it had trapped.

Standing up, I ran towards my friends, concerned of their well being, not caring that I had just heard a fox talk. Upon reaching the river bank, I saw three other kitsune with my friends. They must have been our saviours. However, they were not kyubi no kitsune_,_ with one having seven tails, one having five tails, and another having three tails. Miku was crying and cradling Meiko, while the twins huddled around her, fear apparent in their eyes as they called out her name, asking her to wake up. I ran towards her, wanting to know the extent of her injury. It would seem that Meiko had been injured while trying to protect Miku and the twins and had lost consciousness.

The seven tailed kitsune moved towards Meiko, with an orb of some sort in its mouth. It motioned for Miku to bring Meiko closer to it. At first, Miku hesitated but after a while, relented and laid Meiko down, close to the kitsune. The kitsune put the small orb into Meiko's mouth and made her swallow it. To everyone's surprise, Meiko's injuries healed and Meiko began to stir.

"How is she?" a voice came from behind us.

I looked up and saw that it was the kyubi no kitsune that had saved me earlier on.

"She'll be fine. The hoshi no tama* has never failed in healing even the toughest injuries before," replied the seven tailed kitsune.

"Well then, I think it's best if we leave now," he said to the rest of the kitsune.

They nodded in reply and disappeared into thin air.

Still confused by the events of the evening, I quickly got a hold of myself, telling myself to think about it later. What was important now was to get Meiko home safely. Calming the rest down, I carried Meiko and we continued to make our way home, trying to make sense of what just happened.

* * *

><p><em>*kitsune- fox (in Japan, the kitsune is often considered as a trickster and a messenger of the deity Inari) <em>

_*kyubi no kitsune- nine tailed fox_

_*hoshi no tama- lit. star jewel but it is more commonly known as fox jewel, it is said to be the source of the foxes' supernatural powers in Japan._

_**That's it for now, I would like to thank Ryuusei for his/her **__**review.(sorry, I don't know if your're a guy or a girl)**_ _**I know this chapter seems a bit rushed but I hoped you enjoyed it ^^**_


	4. Wolves, Foxes and Demons, Oh My!

**_Hey everyone! Really sorry for the late update. It's been a really busy past few months for me and it's going to get even busier. I'll do my best to update as often as I can though, so don't worry about me abandoning this story. I will definitely write it to the very end! (^.^)  
><em>**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the Vocaloid characters. They belong to the Yamaha and the different developers of Vocaloid._  
><strong>

**Chapter 4- Wolves, Foxes and Demons, Oh My!**

_*Meiko's POV*_

I opened my eyes and found myself in the familiar setting of my room. For some unknown reason, I felt exhausted and my body was sore all over.

"What happened?" I thought to myself as I tried recalling the events of the day.

At once, it started coming back to me. Kaito jumping into the river, a wolf suddenly pouncing onto Kaito, more wolves coming to attack Miku, the twins and myself, and me blacking out after a wolf had tried mauling me to death as I shielded Miku and the twins from them. The last thing I could recall was a glimpse of some sort of fox that had pulled the wolf away from me.

"OH MY GOD! Kaito, Miku, the twins!" I immediately sat up in worry.

I winced as I felt a sharp pain run through me as I sat up. Remembering my injury, I looked at my shoulder to check the spot where the wolf had bitten me. To my surprise, there was nothing there.

"That's odd. Was it all just a dream?" I asked myself as I realised that there was not even a scratch on me.

"Yes, that must be it. It must've been a dream. There was no possible way that a pack of wolves could have gotten into town without being noticed and what was up with the random fox? It was a dream all right," I chuckled to myself, trying to assure myself that I have not become insane.

I cringed as another sharp pain ran through my body.

"You shouldn't be moving around too much. You're body is still recovering from the injuries you sustained while fighting off the wolves. The wounds might be gone but it'll take some time before the hoshi no tama* can fully heal your body, so you might feel sore for the next couple of days," sounded an unfamiliar voice.

I immediately turned to the direction of the voice and found myself staring at a girl who was sitting comfortably on the window sill. She had short green hair and a mask resembling the face of a fox disguised her identity. However, her most prominent feature was her three fox tails. That was when I froze. Three fox tails? My memory then went back to the fox-like creature which had saved me from the wolves. Was she the one who saved me? Questions flooded my mind, demanding answers. At the same time, I did not feel any need to alert my parents of this intruder. Somehow, I knew that she was not going to hurt me. I felt as if I had seen her somewhere before. It was not someone I was close to, but someone that I definitely seen around town before.

* * *

><p><em>*General POV*<em>

The green haired girl looked intently at Meiko, studying her as if she had never seen another human before.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my room?" Meiko asked the mysterious masked girl.

"My identity is not of any importance but as to your second question, I am here to check on you," answered the girl.

"Check on me?" Meiko asked, still confused to as why there was a stranger in her room.

"Yeah, well, if you can recall, you and your friends were attacked by a pack of wolves, you see, they were not ordinary wolves, they were wolf yokai*," the girl paused before starting again, "Fortunately, my siblings and I were able to stop them before they could kill you. It was my sister who had dragged the wolf away from you. However, you were badly injured and she gave you her hoshi no tama in order to heal your injuries. As she had given you the source of her power, she is currently in a weakened state and thus, I was sent here in her place to give you instructions for the next few days until you recover and she can take back her hoshi no tama."

The mystery girl paused again, giving Meiko time to absorb all that she had just said. Meiko's face was as puzzled as it was from the start.

"Huh, I don't blame her. This kind of information can be too much for a demon to take in, let alone a seventeen year old human," the girl thought to herself.

"I don't understand why these...wolf yokai would want to attack me and my friends?" asked the brunette.

"That my dear, will be answered in good time. However, as I had said, the reason that I am here is to give out specific instructions to you while you host the hoshi no tama. Now, for the next five days, my sister will have to be around you. Fear not, as she will be hidden," the girl added as she saw Meiko's panic-stricken face.

"Actually, she's been closer to you for the past few years than you would have thought, but the reason why I'm telling you this now is because without the hoshi no tama, she might have a bit of trouble disguising her true self so _if _you happen to see a seven tailed fox running around, then don't panic, it's probably her," the girl said in a casual and cheerful tone.

Meiko stared at the masked girl, the angered expression on her face clearly showing how she felt about being forced into this matter. While she was indebted to... the fox... (Did she hear it correctly?), for saving her life, she did not want anymore strange things intruding in her life. She had had enough weird happenings that day that could last her a lifetime. She was still not even sure whether those things happened for real. Now, with the appearance of the mysterious masked girl who had tails ("Tails goddammit, I must be hallucinating," the brunette muttered to herself), she was starting to fear for her sanity.

"Oh, and at the end of five days, once your body is fully healed, my sister will come to get her hoshi no tama back," the girl continued on.

"Wait, what?" Meiko blurted out in disbelief. It was one thing that a fox demon was going to practically stalk her for the next five days but this?

"Well, don't tell me you want to keep the hoshi no tama forever. The hoshi no tama is what gives the kitsune* its powers. It is what differentiates us from normal foxes," the green haired stranger explained.

Before Meiko could say anything else, her bedroom door flung open, accompanied by a strange wailing sound and a figure that flung itself towards her.

"MEIKO! My sweet daughter, you have awakened!"

Meiko just moved aside, causing the figure to crash into her bedroom wall. The figure stood up almost immediately, as though the impact of crashing into a wall had not affected him at all. The figure's features could now clearly be seen. A blonde man with sea green eyes gave Meiko a hurt expression before he lunged forward towards her and gave her a bear hug. This time, Meiko was unable to dodge.

"Meiko, don't go worrying me like that again! It was a good thing Kaito, Miku and the twins were around to help bring you home. Honestly, walking straight into a pole, I didn't raise you so that you could be knocked unconscious so easily, and by a pole too," said the man, all the while hugging Meiko tightly.

"A pole? Seriously, that's the best lie that blue haired airhead can come up with?" thought Meiko to herself.

Then, a sense of relief came over her. If Kaito, Miku and the twins had brought her home, that meant that they were safe.

"Hello, earth to Meiko, why aren't you responding my dear girl? Oh no, don't tell me you've lost your memory! You, Meiko, me, dad," the man pointed to himself before receiving a kick on the face courtesy of his brown haired daughter.

"My memories are still intact old man," sounded an annoyed Meiko.

"Ah, there's my girl. By the way, I thought I heard voices in here a moment ago. Who were you talking to?" the man asked, regaining his composure.

"Oh, uhm," Meiko started before turning her attention towards the window.

The mysterious masked girl had vanished. There was nothing there. Only an open window was left, with the curtains billowing in the night breeze.

"No one dad. I was just talking to myself, my head's still a little off from that accident with...the pole...you see," Meiko explained while mentally reminding herself to strangle Kaito for making her look so pathetic.

"In that case, I'll leave you to rest. If there's anything you need, I'll be in the living room," the blonde haired man smiled at his daughter before leaving the room.

Meiko sighed as she watched her father leave. Leon Sakine might not be the ideal father, he was crazy and happy-go-lucky most of the time, and he even allows his seventeen year old daughter to go drinking with him. However, despite his actions, Meiko knew that her father tried his best to be a good father to her while juggling his job as a teacher at her school. She was one of the few people in town who knew her father's serious side. After all, she was usually the reason why this other side to her father's personality appeared. She also knew that given a choice, she would still want Leon as her father. If it was not for him, she would not have become who she was today; one-third of Kaguya Academy's three flowers along with Gakupo and Luka, the term used for the three most talented and promising students in the Academy. Nobody dared to mess with Meiko, the brunette with brains, beauty and brawn. Yes, brawn, sure she wasn't really muscular but to make up for it, Meiko had some sort of superhuman strength that her father always joked she inherited from her late mother.

Her mother, Meiko thought. It had been a long time since she last thought of her mother. She could not recall much of the woman that used to make her feel safe and secure, and who had been taken away from her in a blink of an eye. All she had to remember her mother by was a family photo that had been taken when Meiko was three that had been hung on the living room wall. That and the many photo albums that were collecting dust in the attic. No one had bothered to take a look at them after her mother died. It was just too painful to recall those happy moments with a wonderful woman who had been taken away from them a little too early.

The brunette sometimes wondered how if she would have turned out differently if her mother was still alive. Perhaps she would not be such a tomboy growing up with female influence in the house. From what she remembered, her mother was the exact opposite of her in terms of personality. Unlike herself, her mother was kind, gentle and would never think of using violence against others.

"Just like Miku..." Meiko shuddered at the thought of her being as ladylike as her green haired friend.

The reason why Meiko became the tomboy that she was today was due to her father bringing her up like a boy. Leon had taught her to love sports and encouraged her to take up martial arts. Not that she minded. In the end, her upbringing had helped her become one of the three flowers of Kaguya Academy. While she did not boast about her talents, Meiko was proud and honoured to have been given the title. Her father had been one of the three flowers when he was a student at the academy and she wanted more than anything to surpass the man who had brought her up.

As Meiko thought of this, she decided to wish her father good night before turning in for bed.

* * *

><p><em>*Sakine residence, living room*<em>

Leon Sakine flipped through the various channels before deciding that there was nothing interesting to watch and turned the TV off. He gave out a sigh as his mind wandered over to his daughter.

"No, it's still too soon. It can't be happening just yet," he whispered silently to himself.

"Oh, but it is Leon, it's going to happen real soon, whether you like it or not," a voice came from behind him.

"Oujo-sama*, I thought I sensed a familiar aura just now. I assume it was you that Meiko was talking to?" Leon asked, turning his attention to the masked girl who had materialized from out of nowhere.

"Yeah, that was me. I was just explaining to her about what to expect the next couple of days," she chirped happily, as if nothing was wrong.

"Is there any way we can stall the awakening? I don't wish to impose the heavy responsibilities that will come with the awakening onto the children. They are just teenagers after all. They don't deserve such a heavy burden," enquired the blonde.

"I'm afraid not. Believe me, if there was any way, my brother would have done so already. He has grown quite fond of your daughter and her friends and he too does not wish to put a heavy burden on their shoulders. However, the situation is getting quite serious. More yokai are coming towards Kyoto and my brother is having a hard time fighting them off. The awakening of their powers is more essential now than it has ever been," explained the masked girl.

Before Leon could say anything else, the girl suddenly vanished.

"Someone's coming down the stairs, I better be off now," sounded the girl's voice softly for only his ears.

* * *

><p><em>*Meiko's POV*<em>

"Hey dad, I just wanted to say good night before turning in for the night," I told my dad as I entered the living room.

"Oh, good night my sweet princess!" my dad yelled before running towards me and attempting to give me another bear hug.

Before that could happen, I kicked him in the face, sending him flying back.

"That's my girl! I am so happy to know that running into a pole didn't affect your personality!" my father happily chimed.

I sighed, wishing him good night again before heading back up to my room. Something bothered me though. I could have sworn that I heard my father talk to someone before I came in. To make things even weirder, I was positive that that was the voice of the mysterious masked girl. My father was definitely keeping something from me.

Darn. I needed to call Kaito and the rest. Whatever was happening seemed to involve them as well.

* * *

><p><em>*hoshi no tama- star jewel aka fox's jewel. The source of a kitsune's powers.<em>

_*yokai- demon_

_*kitsune- fox demon  
><em>

_*oujo-sama- my lady_

_**Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please read and review!**_


	5. Hidden Destiny

_**Hey everyone, I'm back! (^.^) My exams finally ended yesterday and I was finally able to finish this chapter. Many thanks to Ryuusei, anime lover no.1, Dragon and the guest for their reviews, and yes, Leon's personality is kind of based on Isshin except he is less crazy. Whether or not Meiko's mother was a kitsune...you're just gonna have to wait and find out ;P I would also like to thank everyone who is following my fanfic. Now, without any further ado, please read, enjoy and review :)  
><strong>_

**_Disclaimer:_ _**I do not own vocaloid. Vocaloid is a product of Yamaha. I only own my OC, Akane and the rest of the Akagi family.**_  
><strong>

**Chapter 5- Hidden Destiny**

The atmosphere in Matsuda Town was high as everyone was busy preparing for the upcoming Jidai Matsuri*. The shops that lined the streets were beautifully decorated with banners and ribbons, as well as ornaments to bring luck and prosperity to the shop and the town. All the townspeople were pitching in to make their town look fit for the procession of historical figures that was to take place during the festival.

As the festival drew near, more visitors, both Japanese and foreigners, had arrived to take part in the festival. As it was every other year during this time, businesses flourished and the whole town was able to enjoy profits, even though there were not as many visitors as the central part of Kyoto where the main procession was being held. This year however, the town's happiness was double the previous years as there were many more visitors, so many more that the Yuki-Shippo* Inn, the only accommodation in town, was fully booked- something that had never happened since the inn first opened back in the Heian era, when Kyoto was still the capital of Japan.

At Sweet Ann's, it was no exception. The cafe was busier than it had ever been. Despite the incoming flow of customers that kept her busy with little break time, Sweet Ann, true to her name, readily served every customer with a smile, never once showing her fatigue.

"Well, here's your usual. My, with all the businesses in town flourishing, we should really go make our offerings to Inari* soon," the young woman chirped happily.

"That's a great idea Ann. Who better to thank than the deity who brings prosperity to us all," Meiko said in reply.

As soon as she was sure that Sweet Ann was out of earshot, Meiko immediately explained to Kaito, Miku and the twins the reason she had gathered them, as well as telling them of the mysterious masked girl.

"Wait, are you sure that you heard your dad talking to this fox-girl?" Kaito asked.

"Well, I can't really say for sure. For all I know, it could have been my imagination but...I'm certain that my father was talking to someone, and it really did sound like the fox-girl," the brunette replied.

"This is all so weird. First the wolves, then this mystery girl, it can't be a coincidence," she continued.

"Did you try asking your father? If he was talking to the girl, then maybe he knows just what is happening," Miku suggested.

"No, and I don't think he'll tell me anything even if I ask him. Otherwise, he would have told me already," Meiko responded.

"Hey, Meiko," started Len.

"Have you told Kamui-senpai*, Megurine-senpai and Lily about this yet? The Kamui family has been living here for generations. They might have a clue to these strange happenings," Rin carried on.

"No, this doesn't involve them. They weren't there when the wolves attacked. There is no way they're going to believe us."

"I agree with Meiko. Even if they are our good friends, this isn't something that is easy to believe. Besides, Gakupo and Lily must be very busy right now, what with their inn being fully booked and all. I really don't want to trouble them," Kaito said in support of Meiko's decision.

"What about Megurine-senpai? I don't think she's busy with anything at the moment," Len enquired. "She is quite close to the Kamui family, so she might know something."

"Oh, but she is busy. Don't you know, she has to support her dear Gaku-chan," Meiko answered jokingly.

At that statement, everyone burst into laughter. Everyone except Miku, who looked slightly down at what Meiko had said.

"Well, I think it's about time those two got together. I mean, they were childhood friends, and their attraction towards each other is quite obvious. I even heard that Gak-kun's mother has been insisting that he ask for Luka's hand in marriage. Said something about being lucky if she could have such a wonderful girl as her daughter-in-law," Kaito added on.

Miku began to look noticeably glum at Kaito's comment. Kaito knew that what he said had upset her but at the same time, he felt accomplished at being able to discourage Miku from further pursuing the purple-haired bishounen*.

"Anyway, I was thinking since all of these incidents coincided with...your dream," Meiko started rather grudgingly, "I was wondering if you've had any more of those dreams."

"So you're saying that you believe me now?" Kaito asked smugly.

"Yes...that's exactly what I'm saying, and I apologise for what I said about it being stupid. So you just wipe that smile off that face right now mister, or there's going to be trouble!" Meiko rebutted.

At Meiko's threat, the blue haired boy stopped smirking and sat down quietly, not wanting to face her wrath.

"Well, I did have that dream again, but it's mostly the same thing. Every time I reach out to the voice, I end up waking up. All I can make out of it is that it's probably going to occur during the festival," Kaito guessed.

"Ugh...I don't get it. I'm sure that whatever's happening involves all of us and yet, only Kaito has had some sort of omen that something is about to come!" Meiko complained angrily, pulling at her hair in frustration.

"Calm down Meiko-neesan*_. _Since the climax of all these strange events seem like it's going to happen during the festival, why not we go to the library to research more on the history of this festival in the town?" Miku proposed, smiling brightly and being her optimistic self.

At her idea, the group agreed and decided to head off to the library.

* * *

><p><em>*Matsuda Town Library*<em>

"Excuse me Akagi-san, but where can we find the town's historical records?" Meiko asked the red-headed girl at the counter.

"It's right at the back," answered the girl with a smile. "But why the sudden interest in the town's history?" she asked curiously.

"It's for the festival. I'm sure you've heard that we're taking part in it for our school project and I thought that it would be better if we understood more about the history of this festival in our town," replied the brunette.

"Oh, that's good to know. Well then, I better not be holding you back. I hope you guys find what you're looking for."

The group thanked the girl and went off to the back of the library.

"Akagi-san sure is a nice girl," Len whispered to himself. Unfortunately, it was overheard by his twin.

"Aww, how about that. Our Len's in love!" Rin teased him.

"Really now? Well, Akagi-san is a sweet girl, but be careful, that overprotective family of hers might not take this lightly," Kaito warned the now blushing Len.

It was well-known throughout the town just how protective the Akagi family was towards their youngest daughter, Akane. The Akagi family was one of the oldest families in Matsuda Town, along with the Kamui family. While the Kamui family had for centuries provided accommodation for visitors, the Akagi had taken charge of the town's library and had guarded over the town's historical records. Usually it was the matriarch of the Akagi family, Lady Manami, as she was known to the town, who acted as the town's librarian but due to her deteriorating health, Akane had volunteered to take her place.

"Hey, over here guys, I found it!" Miku waved the book in the air excitedly.

""_The Jidai Matsuri- Historical Records of Matsuda Town." _Good job Miku, this is exactly what we need," Meiko eagerly whispered to her green-haired friend.

"_The Jidai Matsuri is one of the three major festivals of Kyoto, taking place on October 22__nd__ every year. The festival started in 1895 to celebrate the 1,100__th__ anniversary of the founding of the old capital of __Heian-kyō__ (now Kyoto). The festival consists of a procession of people dressed in traditional costumes from the Heian to the Meiji era and the carrying of the mikoshi* from the Imperial Palace to the Heian-jinja Shrine. Some areas, including Matsuda Town, soon started celebrating the festival by having the procession in their own neighbourhoods instead of going to the original place of the procession. These areas carry their own mikoshi in place of the Imperial Palace's mikoshi to the main shrines of their towns or villages. Originally, Matsuda Town had three mikoshi, provided by the town's three ancient clans of Kamui, Akagi and Enomoto. The mikoshi are each carried from the homes of the three clans to the town's Inari shrine. However, most of the Enomoto clan was wiped out when they interfered in the Awakening, a sacred occurrence during the Jidai Matsuri in which the major vocaloids receive their calling (refer to section vii). The survivors fled from the town, taking their mikoshi with them. Since then, only two of the town's mikoshi remain." _

"Why did you stop? Go and read on about these vocaloid people," Kaito urged the brunette, peering over her shoulder to try to see the rest of the book's contents.

"I can't. Section vii of the book is only available in its original copy, and this is just a copy of the town's records," she explained to her friends, who were now all trying to get a glimpse of the rest of the book.

"I'm sorry to disturb you but my grandmother requested that I come home early today, so I'm closing up for the day. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience," Akane apologised to the group as she approached them.

"That's okay Akane," Meiko understandingly replied. "But can I please ask if I can borrow the original copy of the town's records?"

"I'm sorry, but the town's records are under the tight security of my family. Even I have yet to see the original copy. Under our family's strict code, only the heads of the Kamui and Akagi family can view the original," Akane answered her, smiling apologetically at being unable to help.

* * *

><p>"So what now? The only thing we know is that there is this Awakening with these vocaloids whatever they are, and that there was a third clan that was wiped out during this event. We don't even know how the kitsune* are linked to all of this," Kaito sighed, thinking of how little they had discovered.<p>

"Meiko-neesan, Rin and I were discussing," Len started. "We know that you don't want to disturb Kamui-senpai but-"

"Maybe he can help us. After all, his family did help to compile the town's records," Rin finished off.

"Hmm...I suppose your right. He is quite knowledgeable on myths and legends. There's never been a day where he doesn't rant about the existence of yokai* or the mystical powers of...the kitsune..."Meiko suddenly halted as a thought hit her. "Kitsune! Maybe he really can help us!" she yelled excitedly.

"Now that I think about it, remember that time in literature class, when we were studying Japanese folklore? He knew all about the myths and legends of Japan like it was at the back of his hand! When it came to the subject of the kitsune, he went on and on about how important and cool they were," Kaito agreed, recalling the memory of a very enthusiastic Gakupo and a very annoyed Luka who was trying to shut him up.

"Well then, why don't we ask Kamui-senpai when we meet him in school tomorrow?" Miku suggested.

As the group continued their discussion, a seven-tailed fox quietly observed them, hidden from their view.

"Onee-sama* how is everything?" asked a smaller, three-tailed fox who had just joined her.

"This group is really bright. They know exactly where to turn to when one path has been blocked, but I guess there's no point in worrying about it. Even if they do find out, they don't have a say in the matter. The ones destined to become vocaloids have to commit to the role whether they like it or not," the seven-tailed sighed.

"In that case why didn't that fool just tell them the truth when they were first attacked the other day?" the three-tailed questioned.

"That 'fool' is your brother, and my husband. He is trying to protect them. No doubt the Enomoto will try to stop the Awakening again and if the ones chosen to become the major vocaloids are made to be more aware of the situation, it will put them in even greater harm," answered the seven-tailed.

"What do you think we should do now?" the smaller kitsune asked.

"For now, we wait. I have yet to get back my hoshi no tama*, and we shall also be prepared should anyone try to harm the vocaloids, regardless of whether they are the awakening major vocaloids or the still slumbering minor vocaloids," her sister replied.

"As you wish. I just hope that everything goes smoothly," responded the younger kitsune worriedly.

* * *

><p><em>*Jidai Matsuri- <em>also known as the Festival of Ages, one of the most important festivals in Kyoto. It is a festival of historical reenactment. Basically, there is a procession of people who dress up as figures from Japanese history. ( . visitkyoto/en/info_required/traditional/kyoto_city/04/)  
><em>_

__*_yuki-shippo- snow tails_  
><em>_

___*Inari- Shinto god of fertility, rice, agriculture, foxes, industry, and worldy success ( wiki/Inari_%C5%8Ckami)  
><em>__

___*_senpai- senior_  
><em>__

____*bishounen- pretty boy  
><em>___

____*nee-san & Onee-sama- older sister  
><em>___

____*mikoshi- a divine palanquine that serves as the transportation of a Shinto deity during festivals ( wiki/Mikoshi)  
><em>___

____*yokai- demon  
><em>___

____*kitsune- _fox (in Japan, the kitsune is often considered as a trickster and a messenger of the deity Inari)_  
><em>___

_____*_hoshi no tama- lit. star jewel but it is more commonly known as fox jewel, it is said to be the source of the foxes' supernatural powers in Japan._  
><em>____

_____**Hope you enjoyed this chapter :) Before I forget, I would like to apologise for taking so long to update :( Anyway, I'll make sure that the next update doesn't take long. It should be up by December. Till then, I hope everyone stays well ;)**  
><em>____


	6. An Attack at the Academy

****_**Hey everyone! Hehe so...I finally update ^^; However, it should be noted that I DID upload this chapter before December ended so please do read, review and enjoy :) Also, I would like to thank all of my readers and also wish you guys a happy new year! Let's end 2012 on a high note and start 2013 with a bang! Oh, and the next update should be sometime in late May or early June, so I thank you for your patience until then :)  
><strong>_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vocaloid characters. They belong to their respective companies and Yamaha. I know I don't really have to put up a disclaimer for Vocaloid but just in case...meh...  
><strong>_

**Chapter 6- An Attack at the Academy**

The morning at Kaguya Academy was a hectic one as the students rushed to finalize their plans for the upcoming Jidai Matsuri*. At class 3C of Kaguya Academy's high school division, it was no different.

"Okay everyone listen up. After listening to everyone's recommendations and feedback, the class committee has decided that we will participate in carrying the mikoshi* of the Kamui family to the town's Inari* Shrine. Everyone had expressed interest in transporting the mikoshi and considering that we have connections, it won't be a problem in ensuring that we get to participate in this particular event," announced Gakupo, who was also the class president.

At once, excitement filled the class and everyone was now eagerly discussing on the fact that they were to participate in such a sought-after event.

"Can you believe it?"

"I've tried for years to help carry the mikoshi but the other townsfolk always beat me to it."

"I guess it really does pay to have a member of the esteemed Kamui family in our midst."

"Now, now, calm down everyone. I know this is exciting but we still need to discuss the logistics for that day, as well as what time we're going to meet," said Mr Hiyama, who until a few seconds ago, had been silently observing from the teacher's table.

As everyone paid attention to Mr Hiyama, Kaito was lost in thought. He was anxious to know if Gakupo knew anything about the recent happenings.

"So we're carrying the mikoshi huh? Talk about coincidence," he thought to himself.

"Shion-san, as the class treasurer, can you please share with us the class' budget for this activity?" asked Mr Hiyama, snapping Kaito out of his thoughts.

"Oh, uhm, of course," he stumbled, immediately moving to the front of the class.

"Well, currently, we have..."

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

"What was that?" asked one of the students.

"Everyone, stay put. I'll go check it out," Mr Hiyama instructed as he rushed out of the classroom.

"I don't know about you guys but I'm going to do a little snooping."

"Kaito, come back here! Mr Hiyama told us to stay put!" Gakupo called out to his best friend.

"It doesn't look like he's in the mood to listen," Meiko sighed as Kaito ignored the purple-haired teen and rushed out of the classroom.

"Well, since there doesn't seem to be anything better to do, I say we follow him," Luka declared, getting up from her seat.

Meiko smiled in agreement as she stood up. "Sure, why not? Besides Gakupo, aren't you curious to find out what happened?" she added on as she caught Gakupo glaring at them.

"Gahh...fine, but let's at least try not to get caught by Mr Hiyama," Gakupo groaned, lowering his head in defeat. He knew that when the girls had made up their minds, there was no changing it.

"Alright! See that wasn't so bad now was it?" Meiko cheered as she headed for the door.

"Luka," Gakupo growled warningly at Luka when he was sure the brunette had had her back turned.

"Oh come on. Don't be such a killjoy. Look, I promise that nothing bad will happen to them," Luka whispered reassuringly to Gakupo.

* * *

><p>Kaito ran towards the field, where the scream came from. Looking ahead, he could see a group of teachers already gathered there. As he got closer, a sense of uneasiness filled him. That feeling worsened as he saw the horrified expressions on the teachers' faces. With a feeling of dread, he looked to where the teachers were staring. What the blue-haired teen saw next made him sick to the core.<p>

Lying on the ground was the limp body of a man. His blonde hair was a mess and covered his face and his white shirt had been stained by blood.

"What in the world happened? Who is that man?" Kaito asked himself.

As he inspected the man, a sudden pang of realisation and dread hit the teen.

"This man...it couldn't be..."

"DAD! NOO!" a yell echoed through the field.

Kaito turned to see a distraught Meiko falling to her knees.

"Meiko, what-" Luka, who had been behind her, stopped mid-sentence as she saw Leon Sakine's unmoving figure. Gakupo, who had been following the girls from behind stopped in his tracks as he realised the seriousness of the situation.

"What are you all doing here? Did I not specifically tell you to stay in class?!" Mr Hiyama appeared, looking furious.

"Mr Hiyama we-"

"We'll talk about your disobedience later but for now, can someone please get Meiko to the nurse's office? The poor thing is in shock," the teacher spoke, his angry tone changing to one of concern as he saw Meiko trembling on the ground as Gakupo and Luka tried their best to calm her.

"Meiko, it's going to be okay. The ambulance will be here any minute to take your dad to the hospital. Then he'll be up and about in no time. You know that he won't go down that easily," Lola Sakine, sister of Leon Sakine and like him, also a teacher at Kaguya Academy, reassured the brunette.

"You two," she said, looking at Gakupo and Luka. "Help me bring her up to the nurse's office," she commanded the two teens who were desperately trying to calm their distressed friend.

Without hesitating, Gakupo and Luka followed those orders and brought Meiko away from the horrific scene.

"Shion, I suggest that you go with them. Sakine will need all the support from her friends to get through this traumatic event. The other teachers and I will take care of things here," he told Kaito.

"Yes sir."

* * *

><p><em>*Kaguya Academy nurse's office*<em>

Meiko Sakine was a strong and confident young woman who rarely showed fear. For years, she had never shed a single tear even in the toughest of times, regarding them as a sign of weakness. Seeing her now in a vulnerable state left a sour feeling inside of the group of friends. Kaito, Gakupo and Len stood at the side of the room, not knowing what to say while the girls were huddled around Meiko, words of comfort and reassurance coming out of their mouths.

It had been an hour since Gakupo, Kaito and Luka had taken Meiko to the nurse's office. Miku, Rin and Len had rushed over after their classes finished to check on their friend. Meiko, while she had gotten over her initial shock, was still refusing to talk.

"Meiko, please, everything's going to be fine."

"And how do you know?! It's not your dad who's been gravely wounded!" Meiko suddenly burst out at them.

Upon seeing everyone's shocked expression, she calmed down a bit before adding, "I'm sorry guys. I know you're all trying to help. It's just that if I lose my dad then...I don't even want to think about it. It was painful enough when my mum died and I don't know if I'll be able to take the pain of losing my dad too."

"Meiko-neesan*, we know this is a hard time for you but we have to remain positive. Remember that whatever happens, you'll always have us," Miku replied.

"That's right Meiko, and remember what your aunt said. It would take more than that to kill your dad," Luka continued.

"Thanks guys," Meiko said, finally smiling as she looked at her group of loyal companions.

"Meiko, good news! The hospital just called and they said that your father's going to be alright!" Lola Sakine yelled as she barged into the nurse's office.

"Really?! That's great! Can we go see him now?" Meiko asked ecstatically as relief flooded her face.

"Of course we can sweetheart," her aunt responded. Lola was happy to see her niece back to her old self. After her sister-in-law passed away, Meiko had always turned to Lola whenever she needed a mother figure. Having no children of her own, she treated Meiko just like her own and it had killed her to see how broken the teen was when she saw her badly beaten up father.

"At least everything's alright now," she said to herself.

* * *

><p>While Meiko and her aunt had gone to visit Mr Sakine at the hospital, the rest of the gang had headed on home, thinking of letting the family have some time alone. The group had just split up, with Gakupo and Luka living in a different street than the others.<p>

"Oh darn!" Kaito shouted abruptly coming to a halt.

"Kaito-niisan*!" Rin let out a surprised yell.

"Don't stop all of a sudden like that!" Len continued.

"Sorry, I just realised that we forgot to ask Gakupo if he knew about these strange happenings," Kaito said, sweat dropping.

"With all that happened today, it's not surprising. That's okay, we can always ask them tomorrow," Miku said cheerfully.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. Oh wait, I forgot! I was supposed to pass this to Gak-kun!" Kaito said, taking out a gundam keychain from the pocket of his pants.

"Kaito-niisan..."

"What exactly is that?"

"It's a good luck charm that Gakupo and I share together. We both fought over this thing when we first met. Both of us were arguing over who deserved to buy it since we reached out to it at the same time. In the end, we decided that we would split the cost and take turns keeping it," Kaito smiled at the memory.

"Hmm...you guys go ahead, I'm going to go see if I can catch up to Gakupo. It's supposed to be his turn to keep it. If I don't give it to him, I'm never going to hear the end of it," the teen smiled as he went off to the direction that Gakupo and Luka took.

* * *

><p>"What was that about your promise that no one would get hurt?" a purple-haired youth asked his companion.<p>

"Well, none of them actually did get hurt...physically anyway," the pink-haired girl next to him answered sheepishly.

"Besides Gak-kun, it was Leon who got hurt. Meiko would have found out eventually," Luka tried reasoning with Gakupo, a frown still evident on his face as she said this.

"Oh, come on Gak-kun, cheer up. What if I make it up to you tonight?" the pink-haired beauty asked him suggestively.

"You know it won't reverse the fact that they had to see Leon like that...but well...you know, I guess you could...make up for this..." a blushing Gakupo replied.

Unbeknownst to the pair, Kaito had caught up to them and had heard the entire thing. Upon hearing their conversation, Kaito froze, his face turning bright red as he thought of what Luka had meant by 'making it up to Gakupo'.

"Eh, Kaito, how long have you been standing there? What are you doing here anyway?" Gakupo asked as he and Luka finally noticed Kaito standing behind them.

"Uhm, well, you see..." Kaito stuttered as he was brought out of his thoughts.

"Ah, well, you see...I was just...just giving this to you. It is your turn to hang on to it," the blue-haired boy said, shoving the gundam keychain into Gakupo's hand.

"Anyway, I better get going now. See you guys tomorrow, bye!" the still-blushing Kaito waved goodbye to his friends as he ran off home.

"You don't think he heard too much do you?"

"Oh, I think he did," Luka giggled.

"Luka, I'm being serious!" Gakupo glared at the girl standing next to him.

"Relax, everything will be fine. Anyway, let's get back to what we were discussing before we were interrupted," Luka whispered in a seductive tone.

* * *

><p><em>*Kaito's POV*<em>

"Okay Kaito, get a grip! You didn't hear anything!" I thought to myself as I sprinted away from where Gakupo and Luka were.

The only thing that was in my head after I passed Gakupo the keychain was to get as far away from them as possible. I don't even know why I was so shocked. It was already quite obvious that there was something going on between those two even if they hadn't announced anything yet. Maybe it was because I heard something that was meant to be an intimate moment for the couple, or perhaps it was because I didn't think that they would have taken their relationship that far.

After I was positive that I had left my two friends way behind, I started to slow down. Honestly, I was happy for the two of them, but nobody in their right mind would have wanted to listen to their friends seducing one another. I let out a sigh as I started to walk home, trying to wash what I had heard from my brain. That was when it hit me.

"Wait a minute..." I muttered as I rewind their conversation in my head.

"_What was that about your promise about no one getting hurt?"_

"_Well, none of them actually did get hurt...physically anyway."_

"_Besides Gak-kun, it was Leon who got hurt. Meiko would have found out eventually."_

"_Oh, come on Gak-kun, cheer up. What if I make it up to you tonight?"_

"_You know it won't reverse the fact that they had to see Leon like that...but well...you know, I guess you could...make up for this..."_

Ignoring the suggestive ideas from the last part of the conversation, I realised that our two friends had been hiding more than just their relationship. They knew something about the attack on Mr Sakine. Not only that, but they addressed him by his first name too. Meiko did mention that her father might have known about the recent strange occurrences. Just how many others were hiding the truth from us? Whatever it was that they were hiding, I was going to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

><p><em>*Jidai Matsuri- <em>also known as the Festival of Ages, one of the most important festivals in Kyoto. It is a festival of historical reenactment. Basically, there is a procession of people who dress up as figures from Japanese history.<em>_

______*mikoshi- a divine palanquine that serves as the transportation of a Shinto deity during festivals______

_________*Inari- Shinto god of fertility, rice, agriculture, foxes, industry, and worldy success_________


End file.
